Written Answers Friday 24 April 2009

Scottish Executive

Apprenticeships

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is being given to increase the number of apprenticeships in Ayrshire.

Fiona Hyslop: School Development Scotland have contracted for 1,517 modern apprenticeship places in Ayrshire and they are currently working with training providers and employers in the area to ensure that these opportunities are made available to young people and adults who wish to undertake a modern apprenticeship.

  The Scottish Government is hosting an Apprenticeship Summit on 28 April 2009 involving a wide range of employers and other partners, including a number of representatives from Ayrshire. The aim of this event is to ensure that we work together to create and maintain flexibility and agility within the apprenticeship programme and to remove barriers to opportunity.

Class Sizes

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of additional primary teachers required in Dundee to reduce the maximum class size to 18 in primaries one to three by 2011 and what it estimates the cost will be.

Keith Brown: Under the terms of the concordat local government is expected to make progress towards reducing primary one to primary three classes to a maximum of 18 as quickly as possible. The number of teachers required to make progress on the concordat commitment for any individual council is a matter for individual local authorities as employers.

Class Sizes

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of additional primary teachers required in Angus to reduce the maximum class size to 18 in primaries one to three by 2011 and what it estimates the cost will be.

Keith Brown: Under the terms of the concordat local government is expected to make progress towards reducing primary one to primary three classes to a maximum of 18 as quickly as possible. The number of teachers required to make progress on the concordat commitment for any individual council is a matter for individual local authorities as employers.

Drug Misuse

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16523 by Fergus Ewing on 2 October 2008, what discussions it has had with key stakeholders regarding the EU Drugs Action Plan for 2009-12.

Fergus Ewing: Between October and December last year, I undertook a programme of visits across Scotland meeting with key stakeholders to discuss our national drugs strategy The Road to Recovery . As the EU Drugs Action Plan for 2009-12 is consistent with our strategy many of the issues discussed, such as reducing future demand for drugs, were also relevant to the action plan. I intend to report to Parliament shortly on the key messages raised during my visits and what action the government is taking in response.

Education

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times it has met local authorities to discuss the building of shared campuses since 17 May 2007, broken down by date and the minister involved.

Keith Brown: Scottish Government representatives have not met with local authorities to discuss the building of shared campuses during the period in question. Detailed decisions over the configuration of particular school building projects are matters for individual authorities.

Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether real-terms expenditure on secondary schools in 2007-08 represented an unprecedented investment in Scottish education.

Keith Brown: The recently published figures on education expenditure by local authorities in 2007-08 do show an unprecedented investment in Scottish education, with total expenditure rising in real terms to the record level of £4.7 billion.

  Spending per head of secondary pupils also increased to its highest ever level in 2007-08, rising in real terms to an average of £6,326 per pupil.

Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the real-terms increases in education spending were in each year since 2000.

Keith Brown: Details are as follows:

  Total Gross Revenue Expenditure on School Education by Local Authorities at 2007-08 Prices (£000)

  

 Year
 
 Real Terms Increase on Previous Year


 2002-03
£4,030,490
 -


 2003-04
£4,294,649
 6.6%


 2004-05
£4,513,354
 5.1%


 2005-06
£4,662,078
 3.3%


 2006-07
£4,734,024
 1.5%


 2007-08
£4,747,148
 0.3%



  The UK GDP deflator has been used to convert nominal expenditure published in the Expenditure on School Education in Scotland publication to 2007-08 prices. Data prior to 2002-03 are not comparable with more recent data due to changes to methodology used for recording expenditure.

European Funding

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with stakeholders in North Ayrshire regarding the Interreg IVA Cross Border Territorial Programme.

Jim Mather: In order to best facilitate and encourage Scottish participation in the Cross Border Cooperation Programme a National Contact Point (NCP) for Scotland, hosted by Scotland Europa, has been appointed. The role of the NCP is to engage directly with stakeholders, provide support and advice to potential project applicants and to coordinate activity involving Scottish organisations.

  Discussions on potential projects have been held between the NCP, North Ayrshire Council and other interested parties. In addition, stakeholders from North Ayrshire have attended many of the Cross Border Cooperation Programme briefing and information sessions which have taken place throughout the eligible area.

European Funding

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding the Interreg IVA Cross Border Territorial Programme.

Jim Mather: Scottish Government officials are in regular contact with, amongst others, officials in Northern Ireland to discuss matters relating to the Cross Border Cooperation Programme.

  In addition to routine meetings of the Programme Monitoring Committee, the Programme Steering Committees and the Programme Monitoring and Evaluation Group in which there is Scottish, Northern Irish and Irish Government representation, recent discussions have taken place on funding arrangements for approved projects and criteria for future project applications.

European Union

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding revisions to the European Commission’s Education and Training 2010 work programme.

Fiona Hyslop: In December 2008, the European Commission published its Communication An updated strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training . The Scottish Government has been in regular contact with the UK Government on proposed revisions to the Education and Training 2010 work programme. A revised framework covering the period to 2020 will be adopted by the Education Youth and Culture Council on 11 to 12 May.

European Union

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what requests it has made under the European Commission’s General Block Exemption Regulation to assist small and medium-sized enterprises

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government State Aid Unit has registered, on behalf of all Scottish local authorities, the enterprise network and Scottish Government, 11 summary notifications with the European Commission under the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), to assist small and medium sized companies. Within these notifications there is also scope to support large companies for some activities. See attached table of GBER schemes in Scotland. More information on these individual schemes can be found on the Scottish Government State Aid website:

  www.stateaidscotland.gov.uk.

  Scottish Notifications Under GBER 2009

  

 Basis of Approval
 Scheme Number & Title
 Scheme Expiry Date
 Scope


 Regional Aid Guidelines Scheme implemented 01-01-2007
XR/15/2007Regional Selective Assistance Scottish GovernmentScottish Enterprise Highlands & Islands Enterprise.
 31-12-2013
 Provision of grants for eligible costs of initial investment or job creation - Regional aid limits apply depending on location and size of Enterprise.


 GBER
X 72/2008 Investment Support for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) Scottish Government.
 31-12-2013
 Allows Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) type grant assistance to SMEs in Tier 3 areas (non-assisted).


 GBER
X 133/2008Scottish Investment FundScottish Enterprise.
 31-12-2013
 Allows discretionary funding to support businesses in the third sector in a number of areas under the GBER.


 GBER
X 155/2008 Scottish Property Support Scheme Scottish Enterprise Highlands & Islands Enterprise Scottish Local Authorities.
 31-12-2013
 To assist the development of commercial property in cases where a market failure exists.


 GBER
X 159/2008 Scottish Local Authority Support for Regional Investment, SME Investment & Employment Aid Scottish Local Authorities.
 31-12-2013
To assist the development of most disadvantaged regions by supporting investment and job creation.To stimulate entrepreneurial initiatives by supporting business start up & early stage development of small enterprises.To provide investment and employment aid to SMEs in all parts of Scotland.


 GBER
X 160/2008 Scottish Local Authority Support for Training & the Employment of Disabled & Disadvantaged Workers Scottish Local Authorities.
 21-12-2013
 To assist enterprises to develop the skills of their staff, to create trained and adaptable workforce- Provide incentives to employ disadvantaged/disabled workers-


 GBER
X 161/2008 Scottish Local Authority Support to SMEs for consultancy & for Research and Development Scottish Local Authorities.
 31-12-2013
To support the economic development of SMEs in Scotland through the provision of consultancy services and support forR & D.


 GBER
X 43/2009 Scottish Enterprise Business Support SchemeScottish Enterprise.
 31-12-2013
 To provide consultancy support for SMEs and first time attendance at trade fairs & exhibitions.


 GBER
X 47/2009 Scottish Enterprise Training Scheme 2009-13 Scottish Enterprise.
 31-12-2013
 To support businesses developing the skills of their staff through general & specific training.


 GBER
X 151/2009 Western Isles Business Support Scheme 2009-13 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.
 21-12-2013
 To provide a small business loan scheme.


 GBER
X (Still to be allocated) Highlands & Islands General Block Exemption Scheme Highlands & Islands Enterprise.
 21-12-2013
 To support businesses under a range of areas under the GBER.

European Union

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the European Commission’s Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion.

Jim Mather: The European Commission’s Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion was discussed on a number of occasions at scheduled policy group meetings between officials of the Scottish Government, the UK Government and the other Devolved Administrations.

  Additionally, the UK Government consulted the Scottish Government on the substance of its proposed response to the consultation. The Scottish Government shared its response with the UK Government prior to submission to the European Commission.

Fertility Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider establishing a national advisory council for infertility and assisted conception services.

Shona Robison: We are currently considering options on infertility services in Scotland. The way in which stakeholders will be involved in the further development of policy is one of the issues we are considering.

Fertility Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider framing the remit of a national advisory council for infertility and assisted conception services to include holding the Scottish Government to account for making progress in developing such services.

Shona Robison: We are currently considering options on infertility services in Scotland.

Fertility Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider providing additional resources to NHS boards to address waiting times for infertility services that have been cited as being up to six years.

Shona Robison: We are currently considering options for reducing waiting times in individual NHS board areas. We are aware that waiting times are long for this service and vary significantly between NHS boards, but the issues underlying these waiting times are complex and long standing.

  Individual NHS boards have invested in this service to reduce waiting times in their area.

Fertility Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives from Infertility Network Scotland.

Shona Robison: Scottish Government officials met with representatives from Infertility Network UK (Scotland) in August 2008 and a further meeting is arranged for May 2009.

Fertility Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last had discussions with clinicians involved in the delivery of infertility services.

Shona Robison: A Scottish Government official last met with clinicians delivering infertility services in Scotland in August 2008. Additionally, informal telephone discussions take place on an ad hoc basis.

Fertility Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered examples of best practice from other EU countries in delivering infertility and assisted conception services.

Shona Robison: Where appropriate, we would consider examples of best practice from other EU countries in delivering infertility and assisted conception services.

  The government last considered national guidance, Report of the Review of Infertility Services in Scotland in March 2007. This review was informed by the 2004 National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Clinical Guideline on Fertility, which considered evidence from other EU countries and North America.

Fertility Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers have considered any reports on infertility and assisted conception services since 2007.

Shona Robison: The government last considered national guidance on the provision of infertility services in Scotland in March 2007. We are currently considering options on infertility services in Scotland.

Financial Services Sector

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the First Minister has had with representatives of the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Group since November 2008; who was involved, and what the outcome was in each case.

Jim Mather: Since November 2008, in addition to his attendance at Financial Services Advisory Board meetings which are also attended by Lloyds Banking Group executives the First Minister has undertaken the following ministerial engagements with RBS and Lloyds Banking Group:

  Royal Bank of Scotland

  

 When
 Attendees
 Areas of Discussion


 10 December 2008
 Meeting with Stephen Hester new CEO
 Introductory meeting with general discussion on Scotland’s economy, current issues in the financial services industry and information about Homecoming celebrations. 


 10 February 2009
 Dinner for Scottish Business People hosted by the First Minister and attended by Stephen Hester, CEO and Andrew McLaughlin, Director Economics and Corporate Affairs and Group Chief Economist, RBS
 Private dinner


 18 March 2009
 Meeting with Andrew McLaughlin, Director Economics and Corporate Affairs and Group Chief Economist
 General discussion on current economic situation



  Lloyds Banking Group

  

 When
 Attendees
 Areas of Discussion


 11 November 2008
 Archie Kane, Group Executive Director Insurance, Lloyds Banking Group
 General discussion on the merger process and reaffirmation of the Scottish Government’s priorities and that it is willing to work closely with the company.


 3 December 2008
 Archie Kane, Group Executive Director Insurance, Lloyds Banking Group and Eric Daniels, Group Chief Executive, Lloyds TSB
 Further update on progress of the merger process and First Minister assurances on Scotland’s locational advantages


 19 December 2008
 Telephone call with Susan Rice, Managing Director, Lloyds Banking Group Scotland
 Short discussion following announcement of Ms Rice’s appointment in the new Group


 9 January 2009
 Telephone call with Archie Kane, Group Executive Director Insurance, Lloyds Banking Group 
 Short discussion on progress immediately in advance of the Court of Session ruling on the merger - reiteration of Scottish Government’s willingness to work with the new Group to ensure the best outcome for Scotland.


 21 January 2009
 Meeting with Archie Kane Group Executive Director Insurance, Lloyds Banking Group and Susan Rice, Managing Director, Lloyds Banking Group Scotland
 Provided an update on planned actions in terms of communications with staff from both organisations and enabled the First Minister to communicate the Scottish Government’s programme for economic recovery.


 10 March 2009
 Private dinner at Lloyds Banking Group hosted by Sir Victor Blank, Chairman Lloyds Banking Group with Archie Kane, Group Executive Director Insurance, Lloyds Banking Group and Susan Rice, Managing Director, Lloyds Banking Group Scotland
 Private dinner.

Financial Services Sector

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it was first informed of Dunfermline Building Society’s financial problems.

Jim Mather: On Monday 2 March, Scottish Government officials met with representatives of the Dunfermline Building Society and were informed that the Society needed extra capital if it was to meet the Financial Services Authority stress test requirements and qualify for entry into the credit guarantee scheme.

Financial Services Sector

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will communicate with the management of the Nationwide Building Society about the retention of financial sector jobs in Scotland.

Jim Mather: The announcement that the Nationwide building society had acquired parts of the Dunfermline Building Society was made on 30 March. On that same day both the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth spoke to Graham Beale, CEO of Nationwide.

  On Wednesday 1 April, two days later both the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth met Stuart Bernau, Executive Director

  Of Nationwide to discuss the impact of the merger on Scottish jobs and the future for Dunfermline’s HQ operations.

  Ministers and Nationwide agreed to have a continuing dialogue.

Financial Services Sector

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs have been lost in the financial sector in Scotland in each of the last five years.

Jim Mather: There is no information held centrally on the number of jobs lost or created in the financial services sector in Scotland.

  Data is, however, available on the total number of financial services employee jobs in Scotland which is presented for the years 2006 and 2007 in table 1. Data for the preceding years are not directly comparable due to changes in methodology in the survey source.

  The level of employment in Scotland’s financial services industry, increased from 90,400 in 2006 to 91,600 in 2007.

  Table1: Employment in financial services, Scotland (2006-07)

  

 
 2006
 2007


 Number of employee jobs
 90,400
 91,600



  Source: Annual Business Inquiry.

  Notes:

  1. The data are rounded to the nearest 100.

  2. ABI data are workplace based.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what medicines have been approved under either the Health Technology Assessment or Single Technology Assessment protocols by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) that (a) are currently rejected by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) or (b) have a different use specified by SMC and what that different use is in each case.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold a single published analysis comparing the decisions taken by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in relation to new medicines.

  Since October 2007, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland has published reports entitled Report of evidence based assessments from Scottish Health Technologies Group which identify decisions made by the different bodies, but this does not include an analysis of these decisions. http://www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/4969.html.

  Information on decisions for individual medicines, which may have been based on different evidence or in relation to different indications, is available from www.scottishmedicines.org.uk; for England from www.nice.org.uk and for Wales www.wales.nhs.uk.

  The arrangements for appraising new medicines in Scotland operate independently from Scottish ministers.

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many PET/CT scanners are available, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are currently three PET/CT scanners, situated in NHS Grampian (Aberdeen Royal Infirmary), NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (Gartnavel General Hospital) and NHS Lothian (Western General Hospital, Edinburgh).

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many PET/CT scans have taken place in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: As part of the on-going planned development of a pan-Scotland NHS PET/CT service, information on the number of PET/CT scans carried out has been collected centrally since April 2006-07, see table below. Data were not routinely collected centrally prior to that date.

  

 NHS Board
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Borders
 25
 23
 73


 Forth Valley
 22
 14
 87


 Lanarkshire
 63
 120
 343


 Tayside
 45
 93
 115


 Highland
 63
 100
 96


 Fife
 57
 91
 145


 Dumfries and Galloway
 30
 70
 95


 Ayrshire and Arran
 29
 54
 111


 Lothian
 274
 438
 556


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 197
 374
 1,076


 Grampian
 172
 200
 348


 Total
 977
 1,577
 3,045



  Notes:

  1. The 2007-08 figures for NHS Lothian, Borders, Dumfries and Galloway and Forth Valley are for the year to end December 2007 only (see note 2 below), all others are for the fiscal year April 2007 to March 2008.

  2. Because monthly data are not available for January to December 2008 for NHS Lothian, Borders, Dumfries and Galloway and Forth Valley the 2008-09 figures include full calendar year January to December 2008 as well as the period January to March 2009. For these boards the figures for this period therefore under report the actual activity for 2007-08 and inflate the total for fiscal year 2008-09.

  3. Data on the total number of scans undertaken by NHS Grampian in March 2009 are included, but a breakdown by NHS board is not yet available, therefore the total for NHS Grampian for 2008-09 will be slightly less and the total for some other boards slightly higher, however the grand total represents the totality of scans undertaken throughout the year.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £1 million funding made available to community justice authorities for the delivery of speedier and more immediate community penalties from 2009-10 will be divided between the eight authorities.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answers to questions S3W-19206 on 15 January 2009 and S3W-20556 on 23 February 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether further funding will be made available to community justice authorities to ensure that community service work placements begin within seven days once the revision of the national objectives and standards for social work services in the criminal justice system is complete.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20113 on 28 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  Additional funding of £1 million is included in the 2009-10 Community Justice Authority allocations to increase the immediacy and speed of delivery of community service work placements. This is not, however, dependent upon the completion of revision of national objectives and standards in the criminal justice system.

Justice

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to respond to the recommendations of the independent working group, Securing Our Future Initiative, which published its report on 27 February 2009.

Fergus Ewing: I have today placed a copy of the response to the report of Securing Our Future Initiative, developed jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA, in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47919) for the information of members.

Local Government

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it intends to take to address the inequity between residents who are legally bound to pay a private company for the upkeep of communal open spaces in their development and residents in the same local authority area who do not pay for this service as it is provided by the local authority.

Fergus Ewing: Planning authorities are in the best position to determine the most appropriate arrangements for each new development. The Scottish Government issued an updated Planning Advice Note 65: Planning and Open Space in June 2008 which stresses the importance of ensuring long-term management of new greenspace is considered in planning applications.

Local Government

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any scheme or framework in place to recruit and fast-track graduates to work in local government similar to the National Graduate Development Programme in England and Wales.

John Swinney: Information on recruitment of local government staff, including graduates, is not held centrally. This is a matter for local authorities themselves as independent corporate bodies.

Local Government Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what maximum proportion of debt interest as a percentage of local authority revenue is considered acceptable.

John Swinney: Local authorities are statutory bodies with democratically elected members responsible for their administration. It is the responsibility of the elected members to ensure that decisions concerning an authority’s expenditure plans are in accordance with good professional practice and are consistent with local strategic planning.

  Statute places a duty on local authorities to manage their capital expenditure and to determine and keep under review the maximum amount they can afford to allocate to it. Regulations issued by the Scottish ministers require them to have regard to the CIPFA Prudential Code. The Prudential Code sets out the responsibility for a local authority to decide how much they can afford to borrow based upon a prudent assessment of their capital expenditure requirements, and with regard to affordability and sustainability. The code specifies a range of indicators that have to be calculated to inform the judgement on affordability which includes the ratio of financing costs (repayment of principle and interest) to net revenue stream. The code does not set a maximum level as this is a matter for local decision.

Local Government Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated level of debt is of each local authority in 2008-09.

John Swinney: The following table shows each council’s anticipated level of external debt as at 31 March 2009:

  

 Council
Forecast External Debt as at 31 March 2009 (£ Million)


 Aberdeen City
 519.735


 Aberdeenshire
 342.468


 Angus
 153.221


 Argyll and Bute
 187.672


 Clackmannanshire
 113.712


 Dumfries and Galloway
 180.867


 Dundee City
 337.695


 East Ayrshire
 190.711


 East Dunbartonshire
 120.283


 East Lothian
 188.324


 East Renfrewshire
 90.383


 Edinburgh. City of
 1,148.417


 Eilean Siar
 146.715


 Falkirk
 137.155


 Fife
 611.314


 Glasgow City
 1,387.000


 Highland
 575.413


 Inverclyde
 183.702


 Midlothian
 156.828


 Moray
 138.171


 North Ayrshire
 209.932


 North Lanarkshire
 478.708


 Orkney Islands
 20.000


 Perth and Kinross
 203.180


 Renfrewshire
 302.511


 Scottish Borders
 192.959


 Shetland Islands
 0.000


 South Ayrshire
 187.332


 South Lanarkshire
 621.987


 Stirling
 145.921


 West Dunbartonshire
 213.296


 West Lothian
 337.398



  Data is taken from the Final Capital Returns for 2007-08. As well as capturing actual information for 2007-08 this return includes projections of external debt at 31 March 2009 and 2010.

Local Government Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned at the (a) increase of over £5 million by Highland Council’s debt in each of the last three years and (b) council’s increased debt burden.

John Swinney: Local authorities are statutory bodies with democratically elected members responsible for their administration. It is the responsibility of the elected members to ensure that decisions concerning an authority’s expenditure plans are in accordance with good professional practice and are consistent with local strategic planning.

  Statute places a duty on local authorities to manage their capital expenditure and to determine and keep under review the maximum amount they can afford to allocate to it. Regulations issued by the Scottish ministers require them to have regard to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Prudential Code. The Prudential Code sets out the responsibility for a local authority to decide how much they can afford to borrow based upon a prudent assessment of their capital expenditure requirements, and with regard to affordability and sustainability.

  The duty to determine the level of affordable borrowing places reliance on self regulation by the local authority. The level of capital investment that can be supported is, subject to affordability and sustainability, a matter for local decision.

Looked After Children

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the publication by the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland of Sweet 16? One Year On – Is Life Any Sweeter?, what steps it is taking to monitor the extent to which local authorities are meeting their obligations and duties as corporate parents.

Adam Ingram: Local authorities are subject to inspection and regulation which includes scrutiny of the extent to which they are meeting their obligations and duties towards looked-after children. A self-evaluation guide, How Good a Corporate Parent Are You? by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) will be published shortly. There is on-going engagement with HMIE, the Social Work Inspectorate Agency and the Care Commission to ensure that their inspections raise corporate parenting and gather information on each authority’s fulfilment of its responsibilities.

  Since January 2007, the Scottish Government has employed a champion, to work directly with local authorities to raise awareness of corporate parenting and challenge them to improve through frequent meetings with councillors as well as the senior management teams of local authorities and partner bodies to support strengthening of their corporate parent role. Other examples of Scottish Government action include:

  An event on 19 March 2009 for local authority elected members to raise awareness of their corporate parent responsibilities and role in providing effective scrutiny and community leadership

  A recent seminar on Care Leavers and Accommodation where 24 local authorities participated in addressing the local and national barriers and solutions to the housing issues faced by young people leaving care.

  Regular reviews of More Choices More Chances are undertaken in partnership with local authority Strategy Groups including the action being taken forward in respect of looked after children and care leavers.

Nutrition

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-21747 by Keith Brown on 25 March 2009, where the Scottish cooking bus has visited in the last 12 months.

Keith Brown: The Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus was launched at the Royal Highland Show in June 2008 and following staff training commenced visits in mid-August.

  During the eight months that the Cooking Bus has been operational, it has visited the following sites:

  The Royal Highland Show, Edinburgh;

  Royal High Primary School, Edinburgh;

  Glencryan School, Cumbernauld;

  Baird Memorial Primary School, Cumbernauld;

  St Machar Academy, Aberdeen;

  Scottish Learning Festival, Glasgow;

  Tanshall Primary School, Glenrothes;

  Lhanbryde Primary School, Moray;

  West Calder High School, West Lothian;

  Carnbroe Primary School, Coatbridge;

  Saint Anne’s Primary School, Glasgow;

  Mary Russell School, Renfrewshire, and

  Our Lady and St Patrick’s Primary School, Dumbarton.

  St Thomas Primary School, Wishaw;

  Auchinraith Primary School, Blantyre; Kyle Academy, Ayrshire;

  St Raymonds Primary School, Castlemilk;

  Civic Centre, Tullibody, Clackmannanshire;

  Dean Park Primary School, Edinburgh;

  Lochside Primary School, Dumfries, and

  Townhead Primary School, North Lanarkshire.

Nutrition

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-21747 by Keith Brown on 25 March 2009, which primary schools the Scottish cooking bus has visited in the last 12 months.

Keith Brown: The Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus was launched at the Royal Highland Show in June 2008 and following staff training commenced visits to schools in mid-August.

  During the eight months that the Cooking Bus has been operational, it has visited the following primary schools:

  Royal High Primary School, Edinburgh;

  Glencryan School, Cumbernauld;

  Baird Memorial Primary School, Cumbernauld;

  Tanshall Primary School, Glenrothes;

  Lhanbryde Primary School, Moray;

  Carnbroe Primary School, Coatbridge;

  Saint Anne’s Primary School, Glasgow;

  Mary Russell School, Renfrewshire;

  Our Lady and St Patrick’s Primary School, Dumbarton;

  St Thomas Primary School, Wishaw;

  Auchinraith Primary School, Blantyre;

  St Raymonds Primary School, Castlemilk;

  Dean Park Primary School, Edinburgh;

  Lochside Primary School, Dumfries, and

  Townhead Primary School, North Lanarkshire.

  In addition, the following primary schools have taken part in lessons on the bus:

  George Heriots School (nursery, primary and secondary school)

  Drumpark School (nursery, primary and secondary special needs)

  South Park Primary School, Fraserburgh

  Abercromby Primary School, Clackmannanshire

  St Bernadette’s Primary School, Clackmannanshire, and

  St Serf’s Primary School, Clackmannanshire.

Nutrition

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-21747 by Keith Brown on 25 March 2009, which secondary schools the Scottish cooking bus has visited in the last 12 months.

Keith Brown: The Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus was launched at the Royal Highland Show in June 2008 and following staff training commenced visits to schools in mid-August.

  During the eight months that the Cooking Bus has been operational, it has visited the following secondary schools:

  St Machar Academy in Aberdeen,

  West Calder High School in West Lothian, and

  Kyle Academy in Ayrshire.

  In addition, the following secondary schools have had lessons on the Cooking Bus:

  Gorgie Mills School;

  Balfron High School;

  George Heriots School;

  St Philips School (boys secondary special school);

  Hill Head High School, and

  Drumpark School (secondary special needs).

  Two more secondary schools are having Cooking Bus visits before the end of the summer term. One of these is Glenurquhart High School from Inverness-shire, the other has yet to be finalised.

Nutrition

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-21747 by Keith Brown on 25 March 2009, how many pupils have taken cooking classes on the Scottish cooking bus in the last 12 months.

Keith Brown: The Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus was launched at the Royal Highland Show in June 2008 and following staff training commenced visits to schools in mid-August.

  During the eight months that the Cooking Bus has been operational, 2,192 pupils have taken part in cooking lessons on the Cooking Bus.

  The Cooking Bus has also run training workshops for 288 teachers in the last eight months.

Pre-School Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would consider it appropriate to use the full-time equivalent measure to compare the number of General Teaching Council for Scotland registered nursery teachers over the last two years.

Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21694 on 18 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Procurement

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is working to support companies, partnerships and consortia that are able to deliver community benefit or provide supported employment opportunities to compete effectively in the public sector procurement market.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s Enterprising Third Sector Action Plan recognised the contribution to economic growth that third sector organisations make and acknowledged that there is a need to help organisations compete effectively for public contracts. The action plan included funding for training in preparing tender documents to help third sector organisations compete for contracts. The latest phase of this training took place in February and March 2009.

  The action plan will also support training for public sector purchasers in the need to involve all sectors (including the third sector) in design of services, the need to use community benefit clauses within contracts where appropriate and the need to advertise contracts appropriately.

  A secondee from a local authority is working with the Third Sector Division of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Procurement Directorate to take this work forward over the next two years.

Procurement

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what barriers it considers prevent the use of the reserved contracts procedure under regulation 7 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

John Swinney: It is Scottish Government policy that every public body should aim to have at least one contract with a supported factory or business. We are currently developing a research project which will commence in September 2009 to identify barriers to the use of reserved contracts.

Procurement

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has (a) carried out internally, (b) commissioned and (c) conducted alongside the UK Government on the extent to which public bodies are using provisions for the reserved contracts procedure under regulation 7 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 or procurement activities and what the results were of any such research.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government plan to identify the extent to which reserved contracts are being used by public bodies at present, through engagement with their representative organisations. We will then commission research to identify any barriers preventing use of the reserved procedure by public bodies and engagement with the public sector by supported businesses, in order to identify what can be done to reduce such barriers.

  We have engaged with Department for Work & Pensions(DWP) to discuss how we can work together to increase public procurement opportunities for support businesses and how DWP can support future activity in Scotland.

  Following a recent video conference between the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism and Jonathon Shaw, UK Minister for the Disabled, Mr Mather has asked for an event to enable buyers from the public and private sector to have a dialogue with supported businesses, social firms and other commercially active organisations in the third sector business opportunities. We will be in discussion with British Association for Supported Employers (BASE),Scottish Union of Supported Employment (SUSE) and Remploy to arrange this event.

Procurement

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to make use of provisions for the reserved contracts procedure under regulation 7 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 for any future contracts led by Procurement Scotland.

John Swinney: Procurement Scotland require commodity strategies to consider and balance a range of policy and best practice considerations to ensure maximum contribution to Scotland in terms of best value.

  The reserved contracts procedure under regulation 7 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 is promoted across the wider public sector through the SPD guidance note for social issues:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/116601/0053331.pdf.

Procurement

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what training it is providing Procurement Scotland in the reserved contracts procedure under regulation 7 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

John Swinney: Procurement Scotland staff with a procurement role have attended over the last year, either a one day introduction or refresher course covering the application of the Regulations, including the provisions on reserved contracts.

Rail Network

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons railway stations at (a) Grangemouth and (b) Bonnybridge were not included in the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the reopening of railway stations at (a) Grangemouth and (b) Bonnybridge.

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reopen railway stations at (a) Grangemouth and (b) Bonnybridge.

Stewart Stevenson: The potential for a new railway station at Bonnybridge was specifically considered as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR). However, no proposal for Grangemouth emerged from the initial option generation exercise, nor was it proposed by any stakeholders.

  The recommendations of the STPR are based on the most robust analysis and evidence available taking the future needs of Scotland’s strategic transport infrastructure into account. This concluded that there was no case for additional stations to meet the strategic transport needs in the area.

  In addition, recent consideration by Transport Scotland found that reopening either railway station could potentially have an adverse impact on the existing rail network, such as the Grangemouth Freight Hub and the Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvements Programme which are included in the STPR recommendations.

Royal Mail

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what conclusions were reached about postbuses at the meeting between the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism and the Royal Mail on 16 March 2009.

Stewart Stevenson: As part of the meeting between the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism and the Royal Mail on 16 March 2009 the minister took the opportunity to express the Scottish Government’s concerns about the withdrawal of postbus services in the Highlands. Royal Mail subsequently provided the minister with a copy of their earlier statement on the issue a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47923). If Royal Mail does not wish to continue with these services then Highland Council can put these routes out to tender for other bus operators to run them. Highland Council has arranged for short-term replacement services to operate until a longer term solution can be found.